Piet Zwart
I bloody love Piet Zwart! Along with that of Tschichold his work was a major influence and inspiration to me when I was first starting out. Both are featured in Herbert Spencer's Pioneers of Modern Typography, a seminal book that I imagine is important to lots of designers. It basically showed a fledgling designer just how exciting and dynamic typography can be. Along with some of his contemporaries, Zwart's work still looks amazing and ground breaking.
One of the reasons Zwart's work is so interesting is that, like Sutnar, he worked for clients whose products were very "everyday", e.g. industrial supplies or public services, so very relevant to a designer, 60-70 years later, working for similar clients.
So I was absolutely delighted when Vernon very kindly emailed me a link to his bloody brilliant Flickr set. He explains, "One of the many nice things about studying typeface design at Reading Uni is getting special treatment at museums etc. So here are some shots of some Piet Zwart stuff from Den Haag's Meermanno Museum."
And, as if that wasn't enough, he's started an excellent typeblog. Vernon that is, not Piet.
Lovely stuff Richard. And Dutch as well - couldn't be better.
Posted by: davidthedesigner | 23 May 2007 at 03:51 PM
By the way, being the pernickety sort of chap I am, I hope you don't mind me pointing out that you seem to have caught Ben's apostrophe disease (ie lack thereof) in your new 'Elswhere' category.
Posted by: davidthedesigner | 23 May 2007 at 04:18 PM
You need one in people's as well!
Posted by: davidthedesigner | 23 May 2007 at 04:32 PM
Quite right David. Thanks.
(Smart arse).
Posted by: Richard | 23 May 2007 at 04:35 PM
But really, "Thanks".
Posted by: Richard | 23 May 2007 at 04:36 PM
Yeah, I know it's just like having someone look over your shoulder when you're trying to work. I'll go away now (but only until tomorrow).
Posted by: davidthedesigner | 23 May 2007 at 04:43 PM
Zwart, a.k.a. type god - yes, a true inspiration; forget all those how to books (unless you're just starting out) and just look and learn from his example. Makes me go weak at the knees!
Posted by: redsil | 24 May 2007 at 07:14 AM
The Teka catalogue is not made by Piet Zwart,but by Henny Cahn[also a dutch graphic designer]about 1935.
Johan Venema,The Netherlands
Collector of dutch avantgarde graphic design.
Posted by: Johan Venema | 16 September 2007 at 11:13 AM
zwart he is really brilliant
Posted by: carolina torres | 24 February 2008 at 10:18 PM
Zwart is a genius, as you say, at making the ordinary extraordinary. I'm planning a study abroad experience for American design student in the Netherlands, and this Zwart Flickr set will be great for my design history slides!
Posted by: Todd Duren | 28 September 2008 at 10:01 PM